A federal judge ruled on Saturday that a Democratic lawmaker is entitled to participate at a board meeting for discussing President Donald Trump’s plan to close down the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for two years of renovations.
But the judge is not forcing the board to let Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex officio member through her position in Congress, vote at Monday’s session.
She sued to preclude the Trump administration from excluding her from the meeting where board members are expected to decide whether to approve the Republican president’s proposal to shutter the center during the construction project.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper concluded that the board must give Beatty documents about the closure and renovation plans because withholding that information before the vote would prevent her from doing her job as a trustee. She must also be allowed to speak at the meeting, he said.
“The Court finds, however, that Beatty has not carried her burden as to her right to vote, at least at this very early stage,” Cooper said. The judge said allowing her to participate and engage in deliberations means “the marginal harm to her from not voting is much less, as she will be able to lodge her objections on the record and have the opportunity to persuade her colleagues of her position.”
